Tempura Hajime, South Melbourne

Tempura Hajime in South Melbourne is a great place to impress your friends or clients if you're searching for a Japanese restaurant. It's only a wooden door with a small sign on the outside, hidden behind an office building. However, on the inside, it's a completely different world.

Tempura Hajime is a one-man operation run by sushi chef Shigeo that offers an intimate atmosphere and seats up to 12 diners. Every dish is prepared and cooked directly in front of you, showing Shigeo's skill in Japanese cooking and filling the air with tantalizing fragrances, winning a Chef's Hat each year from 2008 to 2020. Chef Shigeo's selection of delicious tempura with mixed seaweed salad and Japanese wagyu beef layered on top of vinegared sushi rice are among the outstanding dishes on the Tempura Hajime dinner menu. Tempura dishes such as eel, John Dory, scallop, nori, potato, and sea urchin are available for lunch, depending on what's in season. Don't let the small space deceive you; Tempura Hajime delivers one of Melbourne's top izakaya experiences.

Address: 60 Park St, South Melbourne VIC 3205

Website: https://tempurahajime.com.au/